‘Deadliest Catch’ Todd Meadows Had Returned From Medical Leave Just Before Death

Todd Meadows died at sea while shooting “Deadliest Catch” last week, and now we know he had only been back at work for a few weeks before his tragic accident … his mom tells TMZ he suffered a concussion that temporarily put him on medical leave.

Angela Meadows tells TMZ … Todd was hit in the head about a month ago while on the ship and — according to protocol — he got checked out by a doctor. When it was medically determined Todd had sustained a concussion, he was flown back home to Washington to recover.

It was during that week that his family last saw him.

Angela says, “The last photo I got of him was when he was building a fire. He was listening to music in the moment and was so happy. That’s how I want to remember him.”

According to Angela, Todd was cleared by a doctor to return to work, and he was eager to get back to doing what he loved.

The family does not blame the TV production for the concussion, and there’s no word on whether the concussion or the production are tied in any way to his fatal incident.